Goal Two

Goal 2: Further develop and assess the integration of mission and identity into all aspects of University life, to include the education of our students, the hiring and performance evaluation of faculty and staff, and the evaluation of our academic program. (Target: 2020)

Progress:

In the 2018-2019 academic year, Gonzaga University completed a Mission Priority Examen for the purpose of affirming our Jesuit identity and mission priorities. Every community member had the opportunity to provide input on five questions, assessing the current integration of mission identity and practice into all aspects of institutional life. This feedback was then gathered into a comprehensive narrative, ultimately leading toward a strategic vision for mission integration.

This process reaffirmed the importance of a shared commitment to mission, while also identifying gaps in current programs and infrastructure. Community input surfaced the following mission aspirations:

  • Clarity and Accountability: Clearly, courageously, and consistently identify, communicate, and embody mission values, holding the community accountable and aligning decision making, resource allocation and priorities with our mission identity
  • Hiring for Mission: Engage in reflection and conversation, and examine current documents and practices, to strengthen our ability to identify candidates who are inspired by and want to contribute to our institutional mission
  • Formation and Education: Continue to expand and enhance opportunities for community members to learn about the Society of Jesus, the Catholic Tradition, Ignatian Spirituality, Jesuit education and pedagogy, and contemporary mission leadership
  • Integration: Continue to examine how our mission identity is integrated in curricula across disciplines, organizational practices and decision making, and all areas of university life
  • Jesuit Engagement: Nurture and deepen relationships with the Society of Jesus, creatively co-laboring in the mission of the university

This Mission Priority Examen experience led to four institutional priorities, including an Institutional Work Values project, a comprehensive Jesuit Identity Initiative, a reaffirmed mission-based commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Cultural Fluency, and Administrative Restructuring to support the vitality and viability of our institution, in service to its mission.